Last week I had the opportunity to head over the North Cascades Highway to
do some more birding in the Winthrop-Twisp area. My objective was to see
some more sites on the Cascade Loop Birding Trail Map. One of my
destinations was site 30 (Big Buck Wildlife Area) to see what might be on
Shaw Lake. I found the driving instructions on the back of the map to be
confusing and inaccurate.

To reach the Big Buck Wildlife Area, the instructions read: "From Hwy 20 at
milepost 198.4, in town of Twisp, turn west onto Twisp Rive Rd/Second Ave.
Drive 2.6 miles. Turn right (north) onto Frost Rd. Drive 1.3 miles and
park at Shaw Lake." The inaccuracy is the milepost. MP 198.4 is three
miles shy of Twisp. The correct MP marker is 201 and then the turn-off is a
half mile beyond that. Ignore the milepost marker. The turnoff is clearly
marked in Twisp and even has one of the brown and white signs indicating
public land. When I went back to Twisp, I drove east a ways and turned
around to see if there was an MP 198 heading from east to west, but I found
none.

If you go to the Big Buck, it is worth going on to Aspen Lake. Stay on the
road that goes beyond Shaw Lake. Pass through two barbed-wire and post
gates (close them behind you). The third gate is a green metal gate placed
by Fish & Wildlife with one of their official signs that says, "No
unauthorized vehicles beyond this point." There is plenty of room to park.
There is a walk-through gate. Go through it and turn left, walking along
the fence. You will see a trail traversing across the hill in front of you.
Follow it off to your right, through a stand of trees, and you will come out
on the road just in front of Aspen Lake. It is less than a mile's walk.
The road from Shaw Lake to the green metal gate is in good condition. No
need for high clearance or four-wheel drive.

I also used the driving instructions on the back of the Birding Trail Map to
visit Pipestone Canyon (site 33). The instructions are a little more
accurate but, again, watch the road signs and take the odometer readings
with a grain of salt. I saw no activity in Pipestone Canyon other than many
Juncos and Robins. But I was alone in the late afternoon, the deer hunters
having returned to their camps, and enjoyed a nice walk in a beautiful
setting. The rimrock is eroded into HooDoos. A very impressive little
canyon, worth seeing, birds or no.

I hope Map #2, The Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway, has more accurate driving
instructions. But I guess it is all part of the adventure. You never know
what birds you'll see--or where you'll end up!

Happy adventures,

Carol Riddell
Edmonds